While the heavyweight title has been all about Miocic and Cormier for the last few rounds, Ngannou now has another chance to take his shot at the championship at UFC 260.
With the Cormier trilogy over and done with, Francis Ngannou has his sights firmly on the belt that slipped through his hands back at UFC 220. However, with a record breaking defensive streak, current champion Stipe Miocic isn't handing the title over lightly. Here's everything you need to know about UFC 260 - exclusively being shown on ESPN Plus in the US - as we head into this weekend's big fight.
UFC 260 will be held at the UFC Apex, Las Vegas on Saturday March 27.
While early prelims will kick off from 6pm ET / 3pm PT, you'll be able to watch the main card from 10pm ET / 7pm PT. Miocic and Ngannou are set to enter the Octagon around 12.15am ET / 9.15pm PT.
ESPN Plus is your place to watch in the US and we have further details below.
This is a rematch, after all, and certainly not one to miss. Miocic and Ngannou previously met back in 2018, when the two-time and current heavyweight champion defeated Ngannou by unanimous decision. Using a relentless grind of wrestling tactics, Miocic successfully defended his title three years ago and at the same time broke the record for the most consecutive title defences in the division.
Now that Cormier is out the picture, Ngannou is challenging for a second time and this year he's coming in with a four fight winning streak already lifting his spirits. Since that 2018 bout, both figures have solidified their rankings - Miocic has fought to win back and maintain his title and Ngannou has taken down the likes of Curtis Blades, Cain Velasquez, Junior Dos Santos and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
It's certainly a powerful matchup, and with Jon Jones setting his sights on challenging the winner, it's a fight that will have repercussions throughout the UFC as well.
How much Ngannou has worked to fight against Miocic's exhausting wrestling style remains to be seen, but UFC 220 certainly gave the powerful striker a lot to think about. While he may have been studying up in the background, we haven't had a chance to see Ngannou against the ropes over the course of his excellent streak over the last few bouts. Nevertheless, the explosive power we have seen certainly has Francis's fans excited for Saturday.
Miocic might not be able to take his wrestling shortcut this weekend, then, but as a quick fighter able to read his opponents and adjust his style accordingly, his own supporters aren't too concerned about the passion Ngannou is bringing to the Octagon.
Everything you need to know about UFC 260 is right here, but you can also check out how to watch the full main card event over on our UFC live stream guide.
Who are Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou?
As the current heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic is one of the biggest names in the UFC right now. He holds the record not only for the most consecutive Heavyweight defences but also for the most fight night bonus awards as well. Ranked third in the UFC men's pound for pound rankings, Miocic first signed with the UFC in 2011 after beginning his MMA career with an impressive six straight knockout wins.
With strengths in boxing and wrestling, the part-time firefighter paramedic certainly has his opponent beat in the long game, but could struggle to meet Ngannou's striking power.
Francis Ngannou, The Predator, will certainly be using his arms this weekend - the hardest recorded puncher in UFC history would be struggling without them. After losing out on the Heavyweight title, Ngannou has delivered KO victories over an impressive portfolio of previous champions and is currently sitting at 13 in the UFC pound for pound rankings.
Who is the favorite to win at UFC 260?
Bookies have Ngannou for this win, with his incredible streak, striking power, 2.11m reach, and 13kg advantage if this weekend's bout comes down to another wrestling play. Of course, there's a whole world of power coming from the other side as well. Whatever Ngannou changes for this rematch, Miocic will likely be able to recognize and meet it without missing a beat.
Stipe Miocic has spent a large portion of his career defending or earning back this title against a range of different fighting styles. He's shown he has the brains and the brawn to adapt and dominate, but there's no telling what Ngannou's passion will fuel this weekend.
What are the other highlights from UFC 260?
The UFC 260 card has been pretty ripped apart by Covid-19 protocols. The co-main was set as a Featherweight Championship between reigning title holder Alexander Vokanovski and Brian Ortega. However, this has since been postponed due to Vokanovski testing positive.
However, Tyron Woodley and Vicente Luque will be battling it out to return to the UFC's good books in the Welterweight division. Woodley, the former champion, has seen a streak of losses since dropping his title and is looking to stop Luque ranking above him as the contender comes in hot off a two fight streak for another shot at title contention.
They're not the only ones looking for another shot at the big leagues, though. Sean O'Malley and Thomas Almeida are also booked in for a Bantamweight bout, with both fighters competing for a comeback after promising career starts dropped off into a string of losses.
How to watch UFC 260 online in the US exclusively on ESPN
ESPN+ is the place to be if you're looking for a UFC 260 live stream this weekend. You'll need a subscription to watch this card as well as all other UFC events, as ESPN holds the exclusive streaming rights in the US.
If you're not already subscribed to ESPN+, you're best off picking up a UFC Bundle for $89.98. You'll get access to UFC 260 as well as a year's subscription to the service itself (worth $60).
Folk already with access to ESPN+ have to pay $69.99.
Your final choice is to buy access to UFC 260 for $82.99 and, with it, get one month of access to the Disney Plus Bundle. So that's a jam-packed 30 days of everything on Disney Plus - think all of Marvel, Pixar, The Simpsons, Star Wars and stacks more - the full catalog of live sports and documentaries on ESPN+, AND the hundreds of box sets and films on Hulu.
All of the options grant you access to the main card events as well as all the preliminary bouts leading up to it on Saturday, March 27 at 10pm ET / 7pm PT.
What does a UFC fan receive with their ESPN+ subscription?
If you're interested in picking up a full ESPN Plus subscription, you'll be happy to know that the service also offers exclusive content like live UFC Fight Nights. Plus you'll be able to catch originals including Dana White’s Contender Series, UFC Destined, and Ariel & The Bad Guy. A membership grants you access to all this as well as on demand replays and highlights, with the added perk of fewer ads as well.
How do non-US residents watch UFC 260
With the biggest fight of the UFC up for grabs, there's no wonder plenty other services are showing UFC 260 around the world.
BT Box Office has it in the UK, with the likes of Foxtel Main Event PPV enjoying the rights Down Under. And sports streaming service DAZN has the rights to show the event in Germany, Italy, Spain.
The UFC 260 card in full:
MAIN CARD
Stipe Miocicc vs Francis Ngannou; Heavyweight
Tyron Woodley vs Vicente Luque; Welterweight
Sean O'Malley vs Thomas Almeida; Bantamweight
Gillian Robertson vs Miranda Maverick; Women's Flyweight
Jamie Mullarkey vs Khama Worthy; Lightweight
PRELIMS
William Knight vs Alonzo Menifield; Light Heavyweight
Jessica Penne vs Hannah Goldy; Women's Strawweight
Jared Gooden vs Abubakar Nurmagomedov; Welterweight
Modestas Bukauskas vs Michal Oleksiejczuk; Light Heavyweight
EARLY PRELIMS
Shane Young vs Omar Morales; Featherweight
Marc-Andre Barriault vs Abu Azaitar; Middleweight
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